The two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces will be on the road to make the playoffs if their opening game is played this weekend.
The WNBA season is off to an outstanding start, with teams already in the second quarter of their schedule. The Suns set a franchise record, starting the season 9-0 and sitting atop the standings. The Mystics started 0-12 but finally got a win over Atlanta on Tuesday. New York, Minnesota and Seattle round out the top four, while Chicago, Los Angeles and Indiana will compete for the final playoff spot. The All-Star Game is looming on July 20, with fan voting opening this week.
Now that a month has passed and teams have between 11 and 14 games on their schedules, Yahoo Sports took a fresh look at how the awards race is looking.
Best Player
Alyssa Thomas, San
As expected, there was a three-way battle for MVP between Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson and Thomas, but now Lynx forward Napheesa Collier has been added to the mix. If this season ended today, I would pick Thomas to get on the stat sheet as an 11-year veteran. She is a master facilitator at the forward position (leading the league with 8.1 assists per game), the only player to average at least 10 rebounds and 4 assists per game in the league, and she also led the league with 1.8 steals per game for the best team in the league. Her trademark is defense, ranking second to Collier in defensive win shares.
The remaining five are, in order, Collier, Stewart, Wilson and Kayla McBride. Wilson is ranked so low because of the Aces’ 6-5 record, but the two-time MVP led the team in scoring (28.3 points per game), second in rebounds (11.4) and third in blocks (2.7). Cassandra Negley
Alyssa Thomas, San
There’s no denying how important Thomas has been to the Sun. Her stats speak for themselves. To me, the MVP should be a player who makes an impact on both ends of the court, and Thomas fits that bill. Offensively and defensively, Thomas spearheads Connecticut’s attack while leading the team in rebounds, assists and steals. She has also led the Sun to their best start in franchise history, currently sitting in first place with an 11-1 record. If the Sun continue to win and enter the postseason as the best team in the league, it will be hard for anyone else to win this award. — Eden Raze
Rookie of the Year
Caitlin Clark “Fever”
Clark is off to a strong start in her WNBA career, despite playing some of the league’s best teams early and some of their best defense. Angel Reese (12.4 points, 9.6 rebounds) and Cameron Brink (2.9 blocks) are also off to strong starts, but that shouldn’t put Clark off the award. Camila Cardozo’s debut was delayed due to injury, but she could also be in the conversation.
Clark is averaging 16.3 points (17th all-time for a rookie) and is one of just two rookies averaging at least 10 points, four rebounds and four assists per game. His six assists per game is fourth in the league and he’s shouldered the most weight of any rookie in this class as the lead ballhandler and one of the biggest names in league history. Negley
Caitlin Clark “Fever”
As it stands, the Rookie of the Year award belongs to Clark, but things could get interesting down the stretch. Angel Reese is starting to get back on track and is averaging close to a double-double in points. If she continues to improve throughout the season, the Sky forward could win the award. But at this point in the season, Clark is the best-performing rookie, averaging 16.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6 assists and 1.5 steals per game, despite the team’s struggles. Plus, Clark has a lot of expectations on her, which for better or worse, tends to affect the voting. – Laace Jul 23 ’13 at 14:45
Coach of the Year
Cheryl Reeve, Lynx
Maybe we’re all surprised by Minnesota’s early success, because preseason projections had the Lynx as a near playoff contender. Still, they’re sitting in solid third place at 9-3, clinching a Commissioner’s Cup spot in the Western Conference with wins over the Aces and Storm, and leading the league in net rating (14.6). And they’re doing it without second-year forward Diamond Miller (knee).
Coach Reeve deserves credit for adding free agents Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith to a starting lineup that features improved production from Collier and McBride. McBride is the only player to shoot above 50% from three-point range overall (51.7% on 7.3 attempts per game) and her TS% of 70.5 is third-best all-time in a single season. Negley
Noel Quinn, Storm
The Storm finished 11th last season with an 11-29 record and missed the playoffs. This season they went 9-4 with a win over the defending champion Aces. During the offseason, Quinn and the team signed Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith, ushering in a new era of Storm basketball. Quinn’s assignment was to get Ogwumike, Diggins-Smith and Jewel Loyd to play together. It was a struggle at first, but since opening the season with back-to-back losses, the Storm are 8-2. Quinn has not only nurtured the chemistry of the trio, but he has also helped role players progress. Eji Magbegor is having his best season, Jordan Holston has improved in his second year, and Sami Whitcomb, Mercedes Russell and Victoria Vivians are all understanding and executing their roles. – Laace Jul 23 ’13 at 14:45
Defensive Player of the Year
Eji Magbegor, Storm
The Storm are second in defensive rating (92.3) with a tougher first quarter schedule than the league-leading Suns (90.9) and have already faced the high-scoring Lynx three times. This defensive success is due in large part to rim protector Magbegor (87.5 on-defensive rating, 101.7 off-defensive rating), who makes the Storm significantly better when he’s on the court. The fifth-year center leads the league in blocks (three per game) and third-best in block rate at 8.5%. He’s second in defensive win shares and fourth in defensive rating. If the Storm’s success continues, and other teams’ defenses, like the Las Vegas squad, continue to struggle, Magbegor should be leading all the conversation. Negley
A’ja Wilson, Ace
The Aces may have struggled unexpectedly to start the season, but one thing that hasn’t changed is Wilson’s defensive prowess. She’s second in the league in defensive rebounds with 9.1, third in blocks with 2.7, and ninth in steals with 2.7. She and Collier are the only two players in the WNBA to finish in the top 10 in all three categories. The downside for Wilson is that her team is 6-5, but win or lose, she continues to be a great defensive player. If the Aces start winning again, she’ll be back at the top of the DPOY list, but even if they don’t, Wilson’s defensive prowess can’t be ignored. – Laace Jul 23 ’13 at 14:45
Player of the Year 6th
Chennedi Carter, Skye
Carter has been an immediate hit off the bench for the Sky, with a quick first step and fast downhill speed. The fourth-year guard has led Chicago’s scoring attack in three straight games this month (19 points vs. Indiana, 16 points vs. New York and 25 points vs. Washington) and is the team’s second-leading scorer with 12.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting a team-best 50.9 percent from the field. With her on the court, the Sky’s offensive rating jumps from 88.5 to 103.6.
A mediocre performance for the Sky (or her inclusion in the starting lineup) could jeopardize her chances by September, giving the likes of Sophie Cunningham a shot at the award. Alesya Clark could be back in the running if ace point guard Chelsea Gray returns before the 20-game milestone. And her budding chemistry with Caitlin Clark could propel her into the running if Fever forward Temi Fagbenle (foot) returns and stays on the bench. Negley
Sophie Cunningham, Mercury
When the Mercury signed Rebecca Allen, I assumed she would come off the bench, but after starting the past two seasons, Cunningham has become the Mercury’s sixth player. She has embraced the role and is making an impact. Cunningham is averaging 8.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game, double her rebound and steal numbers as a starter in 2023. Cunningham is also shooting better despite coming off the bench, shooting 43.8% from the field (up from 41.3% last season) and 37.3% from the 3-point line (up from 33.7%). – Laace Jul 23 ’13 at 14:45
Most Improved Player
Dearrica Hamby, Sparks
The two-time Sixth Player of the Year is averaging career-highs in every aspect as a starter in her 10th season and second with Los Angeles. She is sixth in scoring (20 ppg), first in rebounding (11.4 rpg), 10th in field goal percentage (54.1) and third in 3-point percentage (48), and is one of four players averaging a double-double.
Hamby’s points per 40 minutes are up 53 percent (14.4 to 22.1), rebounds are up 32 percent and assists are up 41 percent — all big improvements from her first season with the Sparks, when she played all 40 games a few months after giving birth to her second child. She’s shining as a star in Los Angeles, tasked with leading a young team that’s focused on future success rather than aggressive promotion.
This might as well be a comeback award pick, I’m sticking with it. Negley
Maddie Siegrist, Wings
Siegrist clearly struggled last season with her limited playing time with the Wings. She was a great scorer during her time at Villanova, scoring 2,896 points, including one 50-point game. However, those skills didn’t come easily during her rookie season. Siegrist would often try moves that would have allowed her to score in college, only to be thwarted by the rim or cut off and forced to make a difficult pass. That hasn’t happened this season. Siegrist has earned a starting spot and is now playing 32.6 minutes per game after only playing 8.2 minutes last season. Her numbers have improved dramatically, from 3.7 points and 1.6 rebounds to 14.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists. Siegrist is also shooting more, but her field goal percentage has increased from 50.9% last season to 54.5%. – Laace Jul 23 ’13 at 14:45
